Heap-based buffer overflow in the strip_escapes function in signal.c in GNU ed before 1.0 allows context-dependent or user-assisted…

Description

Heap-based buffer overflow in the strip_escapes function in signal.c in GNU ed before 1.0 allows context-dependent or user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long filename. NOTE: since ed itself does not typically run with special privileges, this issue only crosses privilege boundaries when ed is invoked as a third-party component.

Scores

EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)

3.6% · top 11% of all CVEs (4 Nov 2026)

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 9.3.

Weakness

• n/a
• CWE-119 (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-119 and its CVEs

Affected products

• n/a

  • affected n/a

References (24)

• 43068 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
• ADV-2008-3347 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_VUPENx_transferred
• oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10678 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entrysignaturex_refsource_OVALx_transferred
• RHSA-2008:0946 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATx_transferred
• ADV-2011-0212 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_VUPENx_transferred
• 38794 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
• [security-announce] 20100303 VMSA-2010-0004 ESX Service Console and vMA third party updates (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTx_transferred
• 30815 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDx_transferred
• FEDORA-2008-9263 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORAx_transferred
• http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2008-461.htm (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
• gnued-stripescapes-bo(44643) (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_XFx_transferred
• ADV-2008-2642 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_VUPENx_transferred
• FEDORA-2008-9236 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORAx_transferred
• [bug-ed] 20080821 Version 1.0 of GNU ed released (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTx_transferred
• MDVSA-2008:200 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_MANDRIVAx_transferred
• http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0003.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
• 33005 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
• SUSE-SR:2011:002 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEx_transferred
• 1020734 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKx_transferred
• 20090227 VMSA-2009-0003 ESX 2.5.5 patch 12 updates service console package ed (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQx_transferred
• 32349 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
• GLSA-200809-15 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOOx_transferred
• 32460 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
• ADV-2010-0528 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_VUPENx_transferred

Sources

The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.

• CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
• CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
• NVD (opens in a new tab)
• FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
• OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
• GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
• CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)

Badge for a README or a ticket

[![CVE-2008-3916](https://trackcve.app/badge/CVE-2008-3916.svg)](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2008-3916)

Record last updated 7 Aug 2024, 10:00 UTC.